Reacting on the unabated civilian killings in Kashmir, Hizb ul Mujhadeen chief Syed Salahudin has appealed the Kashmir intelligentsia to help the Joint Resistance Leadership to formulate an effective strategy.

“Kashmir movement belongs to people. I wholeheartedly appeal and request intellectuals, journalist fraternity, civil society, professionals to come up with suggestions and share them with Joint Resistance Leadership so that an effective strategy could be chalked out,” Salahudin said in an interview with news agency CNS.

He said some people can have ideological differences with the leadership but instead of resorting to mud-slinging they should come up with constructive criticism to help the nation.

He also impressed upon Pakistan to change her strategy on Kashmir.

“Rallies, resolutions and press statements are not enough to shake India. Pakistan needs to knock at the doors of United Nations and its Security Council. It should wake up international human rights organizations from deep slumber. It should change its diplomatic strategy and knock at the doors of every country,” he said.

Salahudin, who also heads the United Jihad Council - a conglomerate of militant outfits fighting in Kashmir - said that by nature the people of Kashmir are peaceful but they have been pushed to the wall.

“We are not against dialogue but the dialogue should be time-bound and meaningful. The dialogue should be Kashmir-centric and tripartite in nature. Kashmir is not a border conflict or an internal dispute. It is a live and real issue that can only be resolved through dialogue between India, Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

When asked why the JRL was not talking to New Delhi’s interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma, Salahudin said: “Talks should have an agenda and these should not be held just to buy time.”

Responding to a question on Zakir Musa, he said, “We don’t own his ideology. We have already suspended him and have put it on record that Kashmir movement has no international agenda, it is purely indigenous.”

He said there are some elements who try to defame Kashmir movement on social media. “We know these elements very well and will expose them.”

He lamented that due to India’s “unrealistic approach and anti-people policies,” every sector including education has been suffering in Kashmir.

“Education is the future of our nation. But the way India is killing, looting and torturing people, it has become extremely difficult for our youth to concentrate on their studies. India has devastated not only education sector, but it has damaged our tourism, forests, horticulture, fruit industry as well.”

To a question, the Hizb chief said that it was unfortunate that instead of understanding the ground reality, “India is using muscle power to crush the sentiments of people.”

“Indian Army chief and Indian head of State are on the same page and want to suppress the movement and people through muscle power. Such a tactic will have serious ramifications. History is testimony to the fact that the movements run by people can’t be suppressed. People of Kashmir, Jammu, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan have every right to decide their fate,” he said, hailing the people of Kashmir. CNS